Canada goose recovering after cigarettes spark fire in nest

A Canada goose is healing at Back to the Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Castilia, Ohio, after she and her nest were set on fire. The mother goose is recovering from serious burns after cigarette butts started a fire in her nest and the goose was severely burned while trying to protect her eggs. Police are searching for suspects who left the cigarettes. Canada geese are protected under federal law. (Molly Corfman/News-Herald via AP)n

CASTALIA, Ohio (AP) — A mother goose is recovering from serious burns after cigarette butts started a fire in her nest.

Wildlife specialist Tim White tells the Sandusky Register (http://bit.ly/1Iju69F ) he and his daughter saw the fire smoldering Sunday outside his office building in Sandusky.

The two ran and grabbed water buckets and extinguished the fire, but the goose was severely burned while trying to protect her eggs.

The bird was taken to a specialist Wednesday, and is recovering at a rehabilitation center in Castalia, about 43 miles southeast of Toledo.

A manager at the center says the goose may never fly again and her eggs probably won’t hatch. Staff members are incubating them just in case.

Police are searching for suspects who left the cigarettes. Canada geese are protected under federal law.